Dome light assembly



Get. 28, 1941. H. c. FIELD DOMELIGHT ASSEMBLY Filed Nov. 25, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEYS.

9st. 28, 1941. H. c. FIELD 3 3 DOME4LIG'HT ASSEMBLY Filed Nov. 25, 1938 3 SheetsSheet 2 I N VE NTOR W CL, QQALZZ/ Get 28, 1941.. H. c. FEELD DOME LIGHT ASSEMBLY Filed Nov. 25, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet CS INVENTOR. BY 5: 4AM C @64 0 5 fffrtmrs Patented Oct. 28, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE s 2,260,894 I "DOMELIGHT ASSEMBLY-- Herbert 0. Field, Detroit, 'Mich.,' assignor to Ternstedt Manufacturing Company, Detroit,- Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application November 25, 1938, Serial No. 242,160

6 calls. l c1. 240-135) This invention relatesto a dome light assembly and particularly to a dome light for an automotive'vehicle. Y Y

It is the object of this invention to produce a dome light assembly which is the acme of simplicity and therefore inexpensive to produce.

This object has been accomplished by fabricating a dome light assembly in three parts, to wit reflector, rim and lens, so that they can be readily secured together in and of themselves without the need of extraneous securing means.

In the drawings: 1

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the dome lightassembly. 1 h N Fig. 2 is a bottom plan-view 'partly in horizon tal section of the dome light'assembly. m

Fig. 3 is an exploded' view off the dome light assembly showing the three parts before, and in the order of, assembly.

Figs. 4 and 5' are sections along the linesi 4- 4 and 5+5 of Fig.2.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation partly in sectipnlofa" modified form of dome'lightassembly.

' Fig. 7 is-a verticalsec'tion throughthe mo'difled form of dome light assembly.

Fig. 8 is asection along the line 88 of Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawings, particularly Fig. 3, the dome light assembly comprises three parts, a reflector l, a rim 2 and a lens 3. The reflector I is adapted for securement to any suitable support, such as the roof bows of the automobile body, by means of screws, for example,which are passed through the openings 4 in the reflector. The reflector also is provided with a socket 5 for an electric light bulb.

The reflector preferably takes the form of a concave sheet metal stamping provided with a circumferential flange 6. The flange 6 is provided with four identical socket members 1. Each socket member is in the form of an elongated concavity which is stamped in the flange 6 as shown particularly in Figs. 3 and 4.

The rim 2 takes the form of a metal stamping provided along its periphery with an upstanding flange 9 in the form of an inverted L. The flange 9 preferably is provided with a slight taper upwardly and inwardly as viewed in Fig. 5. The flange 9 is provided with four identical beads I!) each having an exterior configuration corresponding to the interior configuration of the sockets 'I of the reflector l with which they interengage in the completed assembly. Each bead I0 is stamped in the flange 9. The horizontal lip portion I2 of the inverted L flange 9 is provided with four notches l3.

The lens-3' is fabricated or thermoplastic material. The lens 3, as shown, is concave and provided with a flange 30 having four beads [4, portions of which overhang the outside periphery of the lens.

Inassembly the lens 3 is inserted in the rim 2 so that the beads I4 pass through the notches I3 and snap over the flange 9 of the rim. :The flange 9 yields sufficiently to permit the beads l4 to pass through the notches'l3 and interengage the edge of the flange 9. Thus the beads I4. 00-- -I0 to-enter 'andsn'ap into interengagement with the sockets 1 to hold the rim, lens and reflector together. Each of these bead connections is strengthened by the pressure exerted by the third part of the device. Thus there is a reinforcing efiect secured by this arrangement.

If desired, the rim may be snapped first into interengagement with the reflector and the lens then snapped into the rim.

In the modified form shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8,

z the assembly comprises a stamped concave metal reflector I5, a stamped metal rim l6 and a lens H. The flange l8 of the reflector I5 is provided on each side with a socket I9. Each socket [9 takes the form of a depression or concave bead which is stamped in the flange l8 including an inclined lip 20. The rim I6 is provided with a flange 2| along its inner periphery which is provided with four concave beads 22 corresponding in shape to the sockets I9 and adapted for snapin interengagement therewith. The lens I! is provided with a circumferential flange 23 which is also provided with four spaced beads 24 adapted for interengagement with the sockets 22.

In this form of the invention the lens I! preferably is assembled to the rim l5 by passing the flange 23 into the flange 2| whereupon the beads 24 snap into the sockets 22 formed in the flange 21 of the rim. The rim and lens thus assembled are then assembled to the reflector by passing the flange 2| of the rim into the flange l8 of the refrom any suitable transparent or translucent material, such-as glass flector, At this time the inclined lips 2| serve as registering devices and guides which cooperate with the socket portions 22 of the rim to guide them into interengagement with the socket portions IQ of the reflector I5. Here again the dome light may be assembled, if desired, by first snapping the rim into engagement with the reflector and then snapping the lens into the rim, Again too the reinforcing eflect on the connecting means is secured in this modified form.

From the above it is evident that in both forms of the invention the lens is held assembled to the rim and the rim to the reflector by means integral with the respective members and having a snap-in interengagement.

I claim:

1. A dome light assembly comprising a stamped metal reflector, a stamped metal rim, and a lens, cooperating snap-in connecting means integral with the said rim and lens and interengaged to secure said lens in said rim, and cooperating snap-in connecting means integral with said rim and reflector and interengaged to secure said rim to said reflector, said snap-in connecting means reinforcing each other, both said snap-in connecting means being adapted to be actuating by linear movement.

2. A dome light assembly comprising a stamped metal reflector, a stamped metal rim, and a lens, one or more sockets formed in the reflector, one or more beads formed on the rim and interengaged with the sockets on the reflector to secure the rim to the reflector, and cooperating snap-in connecting means integral with the rim and lens and substantially coplanar with said interengaged beads and sockets for securing the lens within the rim, said bead and sockets and said snap-in connecting means reinforcing each other.

3. A dome light assembly comprising a stamped metal reflector having a flange, a stamped metal rim having a flange, a lens having a flange, one or more sockets stamped in the flange of the reflector, one or more beads stamped in the flange of the rim and interengaged with the sockets in the reflector to secure the rim and reflector together, and one or more beads'formed on the flange of the lens and interengaged with the flange of the rim substantially coplanar with said interengaged sockets and beads to secure the lens in the rim, said bead connecting means reinforcing each other.

4. A dome light assembly comprising a stamped metal reflector having a flange, a stamped metal rim having a flange, a lens having a flange, one or more sockets stamped in the flange of the reflector, one or more beads stamped in the flange of the rim and interengaged with the sockets in the reflector to secure the rim and reflector together, and one or more beads formed on the outer edge of the flange of the said lens and overhanging the edge of the flange on the rim substantially coplanar with said interengaged sockets and beads to secure the lens in the rim.

5. A dome light assembly comprising a stamped metal reflector having a flange along its outer periphery, a stamped metal rim having a flange along its inner periphery, a plurality of socket members formed in the flange of the reflector,'a plurality of beads formed in the flange of the rim and having a snap-in interengagement with the socket members on the reflector to secure the rim to the reflector, and a lens having a flange provided with a plurality of beads having a snapover interengagement with the edge of the flange of the rim substantially coplanar with said interengaged beads and socket members to secure the lens in the rim.

6. A dome light assembly comprising a stamped metal reflector having a flange, a stamped metal rim having a flange, and a lens having a flange, the flanges of the rim being positioned Within the flange of the reflector and the flange of the lens being positioned within the flange of the rim, one or more sockets formed in the flange of the reflector, one or more beads formed in the flange of the rim and interengaged with the sockets in the reflector to secure the rim to the reflector, and one or more beads formed on the flange of the lens and interengaged with the recesses forming the opposite surfaces of said beads of the rim to secure the reflector in the rim.

HERBERT C. FIELD. 

